The One: Part 2
by swarkles-shipper
Summary: Barney flies to Canada after Robin, he thinks it's over her break up with Nick, but is it really?
1. Chapter 1

"**Barney wait." Lily said, pulling Barney's arm as he tried to run. "You can't just go to Canada."**

"**But what about all that stuff you said. About how we're supposed to be together?" Barney replied.**

"**You are, but you can't just show up, especially not right now. She won't admit it but she's very vulnerable, if you go…" Lily started to say.**

"**What? Lily, I have waited so long for this that I don't know if I can wait any longer." Barney said.**

"**What are you gonna do once you get there? What are you gonna say?" Lily asked.**

"**I don't know. Can you do me one favour though?" Barney said.**

"**Sure, anything." Lily answered.**

"**Can you text Robin and find out where's she's staying. I'll phone you when I land and get the address then." Barney replied.**

"**Okay Barney. You're sure you want to do this?" Lily said.**

"**I've made a lot of mistakes in my life Lily, I've had a lot of regrets but I know this won't be one of them. If I don't go she's gonna move back there for good and I'll miss my chance." Barney said.**

"**Go." Lily said releasing Barney's arm. He runs down the hall, downstairs and onto the street. Lily walks back inside her and Marshall's apartment. Ted and Marshall stop their conversation.**

"**Where's Barney?" Ted asked.**

"**He had some stuff to take care of." She answered.**

"**What's happening to our gang?" Marshall said.**

"**Whataya mean? He's coming back. He is coming back right?" Ted questioned.**

"**Yes, of course he is Ted, and Robin'll come back too. She just needs to figure some stuff out and be alone for awhile Trust me.." Lily said reassuringly**

**Meanwhile Barney waits anxiously in line at the airport until the teller yells next. He rushes to the counter.**

"**One ticket to Vancouver." He said.**

"**Are you sure? It's leaving in 20 minutes." She asked.**

"**Yeah that's plenty of time but could you hurry please?" He replied.**

**She nods and prints out the ticket seconds later. He exchanges his money for the ticket and runs towards the gate. He reaches the plane with only 2 minutes to spare, he texts Lily to say he's on the plane before he takes off.**

**Back at the apartment, Lily's phone goes off although she is nowhere in sight. Marshall looks at Ted, Ted nods and Marshall unlocks the phone. After he reads it he sits there with a stunned look in his face.**

"**What, what is it?" Ted asked.**

"**Um, it's Barney, he said he's on the plane." Marshall replied.**

"**What plane?" Ted questioned.**

"**I dunno." Marshall said and calls out to Lily in Marvin's room. "Hey Lil!"**

"**Yeah." Lily said walking into the living room holding Marvin.**

"**While you were in the other room, Barney texted you saying he was on the plane."**

"**Oh, you know Barney, he always has some way of telling us he's about to have sex with a random stranger." Lily said awkwardly.**

"**He's never texted us before, only after. And usually there's picutres." Ted said shuddering.**

"**I once got a video. I'll never look at lettuce the same way again…" Marshall said. Ted looks at him strangely mouthing the word lettuce.**

"**Seriously, what's it all about?" Marshall asked.**

"**Okay, you want the truth, here's the truth. Barney's flying to Canada." Lily said sighing.**

"**Why would Barney go to Canada? Whenever Robin mentions…" Marshall began to say when Ted interrupts him mid-sentence.**

"**He's not going after Robin is he?" Ted questioned.**

"**No, of course not." Lily said looking away as she does.**

"**Lily!" Ted said sternly.**

"**ALRIGHT FINE! Barney's flying to Canada because he still loves Robin and she still loves him even though she doesn't know it right now." Lily answered.**

"**How could you let him go after her?" Marshall asked.**

"**What do you mean 'how could you let him go after her?'" Lily questioned.**

"**I mean, if Robin was so upset over her break-up with Nick that she decided to fly out to Canada, she's clearly not thinking straight." Marshall answered.**

"**It's not just over her break-up, I know it. When I was on the phone with her after she landed she said 'you guys and Barney,' not just 'you guys.'" Lily said.**

"**What does that have to do with anything." Ted asked.**

"**If it had nothing to do with Barney she wouldn't have singled him out, she doesn't know it on the surface but deep down she knows she can't ever be as happy with anyone as she can with Barney." Lily said.**

"**I don't get it though, they barely even dated and by the end they were miserable." Marshall said.**

"**They've both been in serious relationships since then, BOTH of them have been engaged, at least for a little while, and then last year…" Ted began to say but stopped himself, knowing that what he had seen last year was meant to stay between him and Barney.**

"**Last year?" Marshall asked.**

"**I really shouldn't say, I wasn't even supposed to see it." Ted answered.**

"**Fine, I'll tell it." Lily said, Ted sat there stunned, thinking he was the only one that had known. Lily proceeded to tell Marshall that Barney had broken up with Nora to be with Robin but she stayed with Kevin, breaking his heart. **

**Later that night, Lily awakes to the sound of her phone buzzing. She moaned, turned her bedside light on and answered it. **

"**Barney do you have any idea what time it is?" Lily asked.**

"**I know, I'm sorry can you tell me the address?" Barney pleaded. Lily gives him directions that he repeats to the cab driver. Lily goes to hang up the phone, "hey, thanks." **

"**Just get back soon, both of you." Lily said.**

**The cab comes to a stop outside a very wealthy home. Barney hands him a bunch of cash and gets out. The cab drives off, Barney looks at the home in awe, stumbling up the stone steps, knocking on the door. **

"**May I help you?" A woman, clearly some sort of housekeeper, asked.**

"**Is Robin Scherbatsky here?" Barney asked anxiously.**

"**And you are?" She questioned.**

"**A friend of hers." Barney answered. The woman opens the door, welcoming Barney into the extravagant home. **

"**Please, make yourself at home, I'll go get Ms. Scherbatsky." She said and walks down the hall. Barney sits in a chair, his legs shaking, rubbing his hands up and down on his pants, trying to calm himself. What was he going to say to her? **

"**Barney?" He looks up and sees Robin standing over him with a confused look on her face. He stands up slowly, and embraces her.**

"**I'm sorry about you and Nick." He said.**

"**I don't have the best choice in men do I?" Robin said.**

"**They don't know what their missing out on." He replied and releases her. **

"**Barney?" She asked.**

"**Yeah." He answered.**

"**Why are you here?" She said.**

"**What do you mean?" He asked.**

"**What I mean is you would've been the last person I thought I'd see here. You hate Canada." She said.**

"**I came here to make sure you're okay." He replied.**

"**You didn't have to come all the way out here to make sure I was okay." She said.**

"**Yes I did because I know your not." Barney said to her.**

"**Barney, I'm fine, really." She said, not at all convincingly.**

"**No your not Robin, If you were you wouldn't have flown all the way back to Canada to cool off after your break-up." Barney told her.**

"**I didn't come here to cool off Barney, I'm moving back here. Every year I'm so close to finally being happy and then something fucks the whole thing up. I'm just done with New York and everything in it. And if you came here to try and convince me otherwise, you wasted a plane ticket." She replied.**

"**Do they have bars in Canada?" He said.**

"**Uh, yeah?" Robin answered, confused by the sudden change in topic.**

"**You wanna grab a drink?" Barney said. He knew Robin well enough to know when she was lying. He also knew that after 3 martini's in her she'd spill anything, it was her truth syrup.**

"**Sure let me just get some cash." Robin said.**

"**On me." He smiled. "How the hell do you find a cab here anyway?"**

"**Here in Canada, you rarely use a cab. We have cars." She said.**

"**Freaks." He muttered.**

"**C'mon, I'll drive."**

**Robin leads him around the house, revealing a very nice garage. She presses a button on her keys and the door opens up revealing an expensive car.**

"**When'd you start shitting money?" Barney asked,**

"**I was Robin Sparkles remember? I paid for this house and everything in it. I wanted to go to America with a fresh start, earn my money like everyone else. Now get in." Robin said and hoped into the drivers seat. Barney sat quietly in the passengers seat as she pulled out of her long driveway.**

**It took 20 minutes to get to the bar. 20 minutes of awkward silence. 20 minutes of Barney racking his brain for the right words.**

**Robin knew Barney was keeping something from her. Normally this car ride would've been filled with him saying some inappropriate comment or some Canada jokes of their shared homeland. But he just sat there, staring at the road or (when she looked away), at her.**

**He loved the way she focused on the winding road. Her cheek bones tightening at sharp turns and relaxing on the straight road. It made his mind wander, making up ridiculous scenario's that he'd never dare say aloud, like instead of going to a bar, they were taking a vacation together, maybe even a couples retreat. As Robin put the car in park, he quickly snapped out of his daydream, returning to reality.**

**3 Martini's Later**

"**Robin." He said.**

"**Yes Barney," she drunkenly slurred back.**

"**Why did you really come back here?" He asked.**

"**You wanna know why, Ill tell you. It's because I don't wanna stand in your way anymore." She said, finishing off the rest of her drink and snapping at the waiter for another.**

"**Stand in my way? What do you mean?" He asked confused. They all thought is was because of her break up with Nick, but now…**

"**You know exactly what I mean Barney. If it weren't for me, you and Quinn would still be together. Actually, you and NORA would still be together. I screw up you relationships Barney. When I saw the way Nick and Rachel were acting,…"**

"**Wait, who's Rachel?" Barney questioned.**

"**She's Nick's ex. I saw what Nora and Quinn probably saw, something that seems unfinished." She said starting to cry. "I don't want to be the reason your relationships don't work Barney. I don't want you to meet the right girl and lose her because of me, so I though it'd be better to just come back to Canada."**

"**Hey, listen." Barney said, reaching across the tables, grabbing her hands and staring into her bloodshot eyes, thinking about how beautiful she looked. "You had nothing to do with me and Quinn, we were too different and it probably would've ended up in a brutal divorce. With Nora, yes we cheated together, but you didn't end. I broke up with her because I loved you more and I thought you felt the same way."**

"**I did." She said, making his hands fall to his sides.**

"**It's funny because I remember Kevin walking into the bar behind you." He said.**

"**I was afraid Barney." She said.**

"**And you don't think I was? I was terrified, every negative thought raced through my mind, everything but you choosing Kevin over me." He replied.**

"**I so badly wanted to be with you Barney. But I just kept thinking about last time. How it ended, the FACT that it ended. But then I really thought about our break up. Not even 24 hours after you were hooking up with sluts you'd scope out at the bar like all I was, was a really long one night stand." She said to him.**

"**After we broke up I was more hurt than you'll even know Robin." He began to say, "I just pretended I was okay because I knew you guys wouldn't understand. I was in love with you for a year Robin and we barely got to date."**

"**Barney." She began to say.**

"**I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." He said, embarrassed.**

"**No, it's fine." Robin said. She gets up from her side of the booth and sits beside Barney. "What about with your break up with Quinn?"**

"**I dealt with that one surprisingly well but I didn't want everyone to think I was hollow inside, hence the week alone in my apartment. I guess I just loved you two differently." He told her.**

"**You did really love her." She replied.**

"**I loved you too you know." He smiled.**

"**Yeah, sure." She said, laughing a little as she did.**

"**I still do." He said.**

"**You still what?" She said looking at him.**

**He turned to face her. Without even a second thought, he looked into her eyes and replied, "love you."**


	2. Chapter 2

_Will be adding to this, hopefully soon. Anyways, hope you all enjoy and please review! _

**When he said that he loved her, in that small, crowded Canadian bar, she knew that was it. As he said those words, chills went up her spine, butterflies flew rapidly inside her stomach, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift. Until this moment she had not known how badly she wanted him. How badly she NEEDED him. She pulled him in by his tie, gently kissing him. They slowly pulled back and smiled at each other, like two idiots in love.**

"**I know neither of us want to, but before we do anything else, we have to talk about this. What it could become, where you want it to go." Robin stated. They'd both frown up a lot since the last time they were together. However that didn't make 'the talk' any easier.**

"**You wanna go somewhere else to talk? It's getting kind of crowded here." Barney suggested.**

"**Yeah sure. There' a little restaurant down the street." Robin said.**

"**Our first date." Barney added jokingly.**

**Barney slid out of the booth, dropped some cash on the table and headed out the door, hand in hand with Robin.**

**The restaurant wasm't anything special. They sat outside, there were only 5 tables, theirs was the only one occupied, The only light was a flickering candle in the center of the table. The sun was just setting. It was intimate, just how Robin had wanted their first date to be.**

"**So." Robin said.**

"**Should we start talking?" Barney asked.**

"**Yeah, that's be good." Robin replied.**

"**Ok, well, since you wanted to have 'the talk' you start." Barney said.**

"**If we do this, get back together, where do you see us in say, 10 years?" Robin questioned.**

"**Honestly? I see us together. I see us, waking up every morning beside each other and every night falling asleep beside each other." Barney answered.**

"**Wow, that's a pretty good answer." Robin replied, slightly tearing up. "Your turn."**

"**What do you want this to become?" Barney asked nervously.**

"**Something serious. I'm not saying I want to get married or anything, but I'm also not saying that I **

**wouldn't say yes if you did propose." Robin answered.**

"**I wouldn't expect you to. We don't have to make those kinds of decisions right now. But if over time **

**I did ever propose, I like knowing the answer wouldn't be a no." Barney said sweetly.**

"**It also might not be a yes.' Robin stated.**

"**Barney Stinson alllllllways gets the yes." He winked. "Do you have another question?"**

"**One. If I do come back to New York with you, what are we? What do I mean to you?" Robin questioned.**

"**Even though we haven't officially been on a first date, I'd like to call you my girlfriend." Barney answered.**

"**I like the sound of that. But you didn't answer the other part. What do I mean to you?" Robin asked.**

"**You mean everything to me Robin. I love you so much. Your smoking' hot, insanely passionate about your job which is weirdly attractive, and, don't tell Ted this, but you're the best bro I've ever had." Barney replied without hesitation. Barney leans across the table to kiss his girlfriend.**

**The next morning Barney awakes to Robin laying sound asleep, her head on his chest and her arm around his waist. Nothing had happened last night which would have usually disappointed Barney, but with Robin he almost preferred this. ALMOST.**

**Robin began to stir, She rolled out onto her back, Barney's arm underneath her. She looked at him and smiled. He brushed her hair behind her ear and kissed her passionately.**

"**Good morning." He said with a smile.**

"**Morning." She grinned.**

"**How'd you sleep?" He asked.**

"**Am I gonna have to answer that everyday for the next 10 years?" Robin questioned.**

"**You're going to have to answer that everyday for the rest of your life." He answered.**

**ONE YEAR LATER**

**Barney had successfully brought Robin back to New York and within 3 months of them dating, she had moved into his apartment. In any other relationship they both would've said it was moving to fast, but this one was different. They were so alike that yes, moving forward this fast was scary, but it was also something they really wanted to do, together.**

"**I can't believe you guys have been together a whole year!" Lily said, hold Marvin's hands as he walked.**

"**Don't sound so surprised, you said to him we were 'meant to be.' Besides it's only one year" Robin replied.**

"**But that's still a long time, especially for the both of you. Do you think he'll propose?!" Lily asked,**

"**We haven't been dating long enough for him to propose, have we?" Robin questioned.**

"**There's no specific amount of time you have to do before a proposal. You said yes to Kevin and you hadn't even been together a year, and Barney and Quinn's engagement was longer than their relationship. I'm just saying you should maybe at least start to think about what your answer would be if he did propose." Lily stated.**

"**I don't wanna freak myself out about this Lily. Things are so great between us right now, I feel like I'd just over think it." Robin said.**

"**Sweetie, you don't have to over think it at all. It's as simple as a yes or a no." Lily stated.**

"**It's not that simple. It's agreeing to spend the rest of my life with this one person." Robin replied.**

"**Well, is there anyone else you'd want to spend the rest of your life with?" Lily asked,**

"**No." Robin answered so quickly, she surprised herself.**

"**Then I think you know what your answer would be." Lily said.**

"**Thanks Lil." Robin replied,**

"**Anytime. Do you guys have any big plans for tonight?" Lily questioned.**

"**We're having dinner at Café L'Amour." Robin answered.**

"**Oh that sounds fun! I can't remember the last time Marshall and I went out, just the two of us." Lily said.**

"**I thought you'd finally gotten a nanny?" Robin asked.**

"**We did but whenever Marshall has a night off from work, she can't watch Marvin! Like tomorrow, she has to go to her granddaughter's wedding. What kind of lame excuse is that?" Lily replied.**

"**Well, I'd offer to help but we're flying out to Canada for the weekend. Barney wanted to meet my dad." Robin said.**

"**That sounds serious, have any of your other boyfriends met him?" Lily asked.**

"**No, I've always been able to avoid it, but after Jerry invited us over for thanksgiving, he wouldn't drop it." Robin replied.**

"**I think it's kinda sweet he wants to meet your dad. You've met both his parents so it makes sense." Lily said,**

"**That's exactly what he said. Besides, his parent's are the sweetest parents on the planet. My dad is going to eat him alive." Robin replied.**

"**Aha, or shoot him." Lily joked.**

"**I so regret telling you that story. So what if he forgot to put the safety on when my high school boyfriend came over and got shot in the foot. It's not like he was shot on purpose. Oh my god you're right my dad is going to shoot him!" Robin panicked.**

**Back at Barney and Robin's apartment, Marshall and Ted are seated on the couch while Barney paces back and forth in front of them.**

"**Dude, why are you freaking out so bad?" Ted asked, he's never seen Barney like this.**

"**What if he doesn't like me Ted? Oh god I'm sweating! WHY AM I SWEATING?! You guys have got to help me!" Barney panicked.**

"**You can't tell me this is the first time you've ever met your girlfriends parents?" Marshall stated.**

"**I've only met Nora's and I don't think I came across that great." Barney replied.**

"**If it makes you feel any better, I don't think Robin's dad likes anyone." Ted said.**

"**And aren't you the first to even meet Robin's dad?" Marshall added.**

"**Yeah, so? That doesn't mean anything. And no Ted, that doesn't make me feel any better." Barney said.**

""**I think it means for than you think it does Barney. For Robin to let you meet her dad?! You clearly mean a lot to her. When we were dating she never even told him about me." Ted told Barney.**

"**Really?" Barney asked.**

"**Yes, really, Barney, Robin really loves you." Ted replied.**

"**I was gonna wait until it actually happened but, the reason I want to meet Robin's dad is because, I'm going to propose." Barney said, with the biggest smile on his face.**

"**Oh my god!"**

"**That is so great!"**

"**The guys stood up and hugged Barney. Robin walks into the apartment.**

"**Am I interrupting something?" Robin asked awkwardly.**

"**No, we were actually just leaving." Marshall said.**

"**You ready for dinner?" Barney asked.**

"**I just gotta change." Robin replied.**

"**Take your time." Barney said. Robin walks over to Barney, kisses him, then walks to the bedroom.**

"**Well, we should get going." Ted said.**

"**Yeah." Barney replied.**

"**Have a great time in Canada." Ted sobbed and ran out the door. Barney and Marshall laugh. Just as he's about to leave, Marshall turns to talk to Barney.**

"**Hey Barney? Good luck."**

"**Thanks bro." Barney said.**

**Later that night at dinner**

"**Barney?"**

"**Yes babe?"**

"**Why do you really want to meet my dad? And none of that 'you've met both my parents' bullshit" Robin said.**

"**It's because things are getting serious between us, we've been together for a year, I just think your dad should know who you're dating." Barney replied, hoping she'd buy it.**

"**It's just, he's not that involved in my life. I mean I might get a phone call from him on my birthday but sometimes not even that." Robin told him.**

"**After this, I promise, you never have to talk to him again if you don't want to." Barney said.**

"**Are you serious or are you just saying it to get me to agree?" Robin asked.**

"**Won't know until it happens will you?" Barney answered.**

"**I'm sorry for bringing this up, I didn't mean to ruin the night." Robin apologized.**

"**Nothing you say or do could ruin this night. As long as you and I are together, what could be ruined?" Barney said sweetly.**

"**I love you Barney." **

"**I love you too Robin."**

**Friday**

**A women comes on the sound system, saying that Barney and Robin's flight is now boarding. As they boarded, found their seats and sat, Barney couldn't help but start to panic. It wasn't even about meeting her dad, it was the proposal. What if she said no? He knew he wouldn't be able to take that, it would kill him. But if she said yes, then he be engaged. For the second twice. It's not that he wanted to be with anyone else, but the idea of standing in front of hundred of people and vowing to stay with someone until death?! That terrified him. He knew it freaked out Robin too. He hoped she wouldn't get panicked and run out on him. He had a hard time getting over Quinn, how would he get over the love of his life?**

**His legs were shaking, he couldn't stop looking back and forth between the window and the cockpit. Robin looked at him, confused, concerned, and a little entertained.**

"**You okay there?" She asked.**

"**Yeah, yeah why wouldn't I be?" Barney replied.**

"**Well it looks like you're having a bad muscle spasm in your neck." Robin observed.**

"**Ladies and gentleman, please fasten your seatbelts, we're about to begin our departure." One of the flight attendants announced.**

"**Thank god." Barney whispered to himself.**

**When they landed Robin had to wake-up Barney, she'd slipped him something after take off because he wouldn't calm down.**

"**Babe? Babe? Barney!?" She shouted.**

"**Yeah?" He said, still a little disoriented.**

"**You wanna get off the plane now?" Robin asked.**

"**Already?" He replied, shocked at how little tome it took to get there.**

"**C'mon let's go get our luggage." Robin said.**

"**I had them send it to our room." Barney stated.**

"**Our room?" Robin questioned.**

"**Yeah, our hotel room. I figured you didn't want to stay at your dad's house so I booked a room for us." Barney told her.**

"**You're amazing. It's bad enough having to visit the man, I can't even imagine spending two nights there." Robin thanked him.**

**As they go up to their room, with their luggage beating them there, Barney waited until Robin got into the shower to unpack his bag, quickly slipping the ring in his pocket.**

**He'd spent the last two months looking for the perfect ring. Two smaller rubies on either side of the big white diamond all on a golden band. It looked like a little Canadian flag, he knew she loved it even though he wasn't that keen on it himself.**

**That night, at dinner with Robin's father, the three of them sit in an awkward silence. None of them want to be the first to speak. Charles, Robin's father looks at Barney as he saws his steak in half, Barney tries his best not to look up.**

"**So, Benny, what do you do for a living?" Charles questioned.**

"**Um, it's Barney sir and I don't want to bore you with my job." Barney replied.**

"**I'll be right back." Robin excused herself.**

"**What are you and Robin doing here Brian?" Charles asked.**

"**It's Barney, and I came here because I thought it'd be good for us to get to know each other." Barney answered.**

"**What do I care who my daughter is dating?" Charles retorted.**

"**You should care, you should be interrogating me like another father would. Robin is an amazing woman, and it's just said her own father can't see that!" Barney said, trying not to yell.**

"**Don't raise your voice with me, you should be showing me respect young man!" Charles yelled.**

"**I'll show you respect when you show Robin respect. She's done nothing but work her ass of in hope that one day her good-for-nothing father would actually appreciate her!" Barney yelled back.**

"**Why do you care so much of what I think of Robin?" Charles questioned.**

"**Because, I do! Do you wanna know the real reason I made her agree to me meeting you?" Barney asked.**

"**Why is that!?" Charles replied.**

"**Because, I'm going to ask Robin to marry me, and I thought it might be nice for me to get to know my future father-inlaw and maybe get his blessing. But apparently that's just to god dam hard!" Barney said. As he did, he stood up from the dining table and walked out, running into Robin in the hallway.**

"**Hey? Everything ok?" She asked nervously.**

"**Yeah, c'mon, let's go." He replied.**

"**I thought you wanted to get to know my dad." She said.**

"**I think I know him well enough now. It was a mistake coming here and I'm sorry." Barney apologized.**

"**It's fine, at least now I won't have to worry about you asking again." She joked.**

"**You ready to go?" He asked.**

"**Yeah, you wanna get some dinner at the hotel since we didn't really have that much to eat here?" Robin replied.**

"**Sounds great." Barney smiled. **

**The hotel's dining hall was very elegant, for Canada anyways. It took them just over twenty minutes to get a table, but it was well worth it. They sat at a cozy table in the middle of the room, a glass chandelier hanging almost directly above. Smooth jazz performed live filled the background. It was such a perfect moment, it calmed him. He look over at Robin, he still got chills every time, almost forgetting how beautiful she was. Her dark hair was a perfectly curled, framing her face and making her gorgeous blue eyes stand out even more. Suddenly, it hit him, tonight was the night he wanted to propose.**


End file.
